Easter Menu

He is Risen!!!

I love to celebrate Easter.  It is a joyful day in my life.  It is also a busy day.  Unlike Christmas where you have eight weeks to steep in the holiday message, Easter comes and goes in a flash.  Just a blur of new dresses and chocolate eggs.  I usually host a holiday meal at my home after church and if you do too you know what a strain it can be to get something special on the table after being out all morning.  Here is my super simple Easter lunch menu:

Glazed Ham - buy it high quality and fully cooked, heat it through and melt orange marmalade over it.  It's yummy at any temperature.

Green Beans with Almonds - rinse and tear off the ends of fresh green beans, boil in salted water until softened, drain and toss in hot pot with olive oil and slivered almonds.

Sliced Carrots - clean and slice into thin discs, boil in salted water until soft, drain and toss in hot pot with butter and salt and pepper.

Parsleyed New Potatoes - wash and boil whole in salted water until cooked through, drain and toss with butter, salt and fresh chopped parsley in hot pot.

Tea Biscuits - cut buttermilk biscuits out with two inch round and bake.  Top with melted butter and poppy seeds and pop back into oven for two minutes.

Lemon Squares - make night before and chill.  If scratch baking is not your thing I recommend the Krusteaz mix.

These six items on your table with white dishes and you have a pretty, colorful, quick and simple feast.  Enjoy!!

In the Bag

I'm talking snacks today.  In addition to the daily lunch I pack for Caleb, I have to come up with a snack that is portable enough for the playground and tempting enough that he will actually eat it.  Here are some of my favorites:

1.  Jonah Snack - Stauffer's Whales crackers and Cheerios for life preservers
2.  Heard it Through the Grapevine - "Scrabble" Cheez-its and raisins (my kids don't remember the California Raisins but I do so it's a little joke for me)
3. Smores - Teddy Grahams, Annie's Chocolate Bunnies and mini marshmallows
4.  Movie Munchie - a ziptop bag of popcorn with about 10 sour patch kids mixed in
5.  Gone Fishin' - thin pretzel sticks and Goldfish crackers
6. Tic Tac Toe - wheat thins and dried apricots
7.  Monkey Mix - banana chips and yogurt covered raisins
8.  Rice Krispie treats
9.  Circus Bag - animal crackers and fruit snacks
10.  Banana Man - I seriously get my sharpie and draw a funny face on a banana - he loves it.

There are some "junk" ingredients in the some of these; notably the sour patch kids and marshmallows.  The key is quantity.  If you use some fun items like those as a garnish on an otherwise healthy snack you get to put good whole grain nutrition in your kids body while still filling him up and finding the fun.  Caleb really doesn't ask me for Cheetos or Twinkies and I think it is because he looks forward to his special "snack mix".  Enjoy!!

What Happened?!!

I have been asking myself this question for a week now.  My orderly little house and dependable menus are nowhere to be found.  They have been replaced by chaos!!  Why?  I don't really know.  My husband did start a new job this week (Yay!!) and my kids did start spring ball and we have been to birthday parties for the past couple of weekends but really I think I just dropped the ball and then let it roll under the couch and haven't gone to get it.  In light of my dilemma here are my suggestions for a quick trip back to normal if you are in chaos too.

1.  Sandwiches.  Go to your store and get some fresh deli meat and cheese from the counter and stop by the bakery for good bread.  Swing by produce and get shredded lettuce, tomatoes, apples, cucumbers, carrots...whatever looks good.  Serve this at your table and count the food groups.  Also notice that there is nothing fried or frozen.  Look at your stove with no dirty dishes on it.  Sigh a little sigh of relief.

2.  Turn off the TV.  Tonight everyone can declutter one room and then get together to read a book or play a game.

3.  Pack lunches and lay out clothes because tomorrow is going to be a good day.

4.  Take a bath and go to bed early.  You've earned it.